UKGC opens consultation to make changes to online slots

The growth and ever evolving nature of the online gambling industry means that a lot changes on a regular basis.

One of the main surges that has taken place over recent years is the push for responsible and safer gambling practices.

The UK Gambling Commission has been one of the loudest voices in the call for responsible gambling features, and now they’re once again focusing on casino games.

Consultation to change online slots

There are thousands of online slots currently available at online casinos around the world, with new releases popping up every week.

Ranging is styles and themes, there’s a slot game to suit every taste. However, the UKGC feels that changes need to be made to how online slots operate.

After the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) shared their recommendations on how to improve online slots in June, the UKGC has opened a consultation process to make changes of their own.

This process will run from the 9th of July until the 3rd of September 2020. Once closed, an industry-agreed code will be published and the UKGC will evaluate whether any of the recommendations proposed during the consultation should be implemented.

Possible changes on the cards

In the BGC’s report, a couple of the recommendations they put forward included the following.

• A minimum spinning speed of 2.5 seconds
• The removal of sped-up and accelerated spinning features

These features were targeted in particular as the BGC feels that slowing down playing speeds and forcing players to pay for attention to losses and wins can only be a positive.

A spokesperson for the UKGC commented on the consultation:

“Proposals around the design of slots games are just the first step in keeping players safe. Slots is an area which has seen technological innovation in terms of product design, and we expect operators to continually show an equal, and indeed greater, commitment to innovate in terms of consumer protection.

Regulatory intervention needs to keep pace with this and the proposals in this consultation form part of a comprehensive package of work we are taking forward to make online gambling safer.”

Only time will tell what the consultation will achieve but for now, be sure to play responsibly!